Anchoring device



Patented May 28, 1949 n John Chmura, Marmarth, N. Dak.

Application May '29, 1939, SerialNo. 276,424 7 1 Claim. ((01. 233-379) My invention relates to anchoring devices and more particularly to anchoring devices for securing foot guard-blocks to rails and the like.

It is a common practice to secure foot guardblocks to rails, frogs, switch and guard rails to preclude personsfrom accidentally catching their feet beneath the head of the rails-thereby e1iminating serious injury and often resultant lossof life. The foot guard-blocks are usuallysecured between the headsandfla'nges of the rails by means of anchoring or securing devices, an example of devices of this character being illustrated in the United States Letters Patent, Nos. 698,314 and 1,743,419.

Due to vibratory movement imparted to the rails, by the rolling stock passing thereover, various parts, for instance the blocks, anchoring devices and/or. rails, become worn to such .a degreeasto eliminate the eifectiveness of the anchoring devices, thus permitting the blocks to creep or become displaced from desired positions relative to the rails.

My invention overcomes the foregoing disadvantages and undesirable results, it being one of the principal objects thereof to provide an an-.

choring device for association with a rail and guard-block which is so constructed and arranged as to effectively anchor the guard-block to. the rail in a manner to preclude creeping or dislodgement thereof relativeto the rail.

An important object of my invention is to pro vide an anchoring device of the above described character so constructed and arranged where by, upon vibration, the effectiveness of the de vice will be maintained, thus securely clamping the guard-block to the rail against movement relative thereto; a 1 g A significant object of my invention is to pro--.

vide a device of the above described character 40 so constructed as to be applicable to rails and blocks of various sizes, thereby maximizing the utility thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide an anchoring deviceof the above described charthe rail and guard-block for firmly and reliably clamping or anchoring the guard-blockto the rail.

A further object of myinvention is to provide 50 an anchoring device equipped with resiliently actuated means for maintaining said device in cooperative relation with said rail and guardblock whereby to secure said guard-block fixed to said rail against'accidental displacement.

55 [A still further object of my invention is toprothe several views:

acter fashioned with means coacting with both vide a device of the above described character which is simple in construction, durable, in use, efficient in operation and economical in manu-v facture. v

A special object of my invention is toprovide a device of the above described character which iseasily applied to and readily detached from a rail and guard-block organization.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claim A and annexed drawing.

Referring to the drawing wherein like'reference characters designate like parts throughout Figure 1 is a perspective view of an anchoring device constructed in accordance with my invention. 1 s

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof illustrating the device as applied to a rail and guard-block organization,the latter being illustrated in transverse section. f 5

Figures 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views illustratingthe anchoring device as applied to rails of diiferent sizes. I I

,In reducing my invention to practice, I pro videa rail and block organizationi comprising a'rail 6 of ordinary construction provided with the usual head 7 formed on the upper end of a web ;8, the lower end of the latter'being integrally connected to a'flange or base 9 intermeldiate the marginal edges or sides It] thereof. The organization v5 also comprises a foot guardblock I I having an inner face juxtapositioni-ng a side face of the web 8 and upper and lower faces engaging the lower and upper faces of the head and flange respectively. I I

The block H is formed with an inclined lateral outer face 12 which extends between a lower outer corner-"of the'head and an upper outer corner of the flange as illustrated in Figure 2.

The foregoing is descriptive of a rail and'block organization of ordinary construction and it is .to be, understood, thatthe organization per se forms no" part of the present invention except as incombination with my novel form of anchoring device 13 as hereinafter setforth.

My anchoring device 13 comprises an elon- "gated member having a basesection l4 appressingly underlying the under face of the flange 9 Y and terminating at one end in an integrally formed and upwardly extending arm or side sec tionv I 5, the upper end of which is angularly and inwardly disposed to constitute a penetrant element IE, the latter being of an odontoid or cuneiform configuration for penetrating the face l2 of the block ll between the upper and lower ends thereof as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing. The opposite end of the section it is fashioned with an upwardly extending portion or hook element ii, the latter engaging the adjacent side It of the flange S and appreciabiy overlying a portion of the upper face of said flange.

The lower end of the arm or side section l5, adjacent the jointure thereof with said base section I 4, is of an arcuate configuration and extends a material distance away from the adjacent side ll] of the flange 9 whereby to space said section l5 relative to the face It of the block H. The member or section if: thereof is of a resilient construction to coact with the portion ll and element l6 for urging the latter into penetrating engagement with the block ll, it being understood that when the device is applied to the organization the section i5 is normally tensioned outwardly by the block ll, thus vibration imparted to the organization by rolling stock passing over the rail tends to urge the element l6 deeper into the block and thereby maintains the block effectively clamped or anchored to the rail.

It will be noted, by reference to Figure 2 of the drawing, that when the device is in assembled condition with respect to the organization an ap preciable space is provided between the block and section l5 whereby a tool may be inserted therebetween for disconnecting the element it from the block and thus enabling the device to be de tached from the organization. When it is desired to assemble the device, the portion H is disposed over an edge ill of the flange 9 and the section M expanded outwardly and moved upwardly to effect appressed engagement of the section It with the under face of the flange 9, whereupon said section l 5 is released for permitting penetrating engagement of the block H by the element l6.

As diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawing, the resiliency of the memher it or arm 55 permits or" the device being utilized in connection with rails of various sizes. The rail depicted in Figure 3 is of a larger size,

for instance 100 lbs., than the rail depicted in Figure l, the latter, for instance, being of the 85 lb. type. Thus it will be understood that my device lends itself to a greater utility than that type of an anchoring device for use in connection with a rail of one standard size.

This novel adaptation of my anchoring device to rails of various sizes is obtained by constructing the section M of a relatively long length and thereby spacing the lower end of the section IS an appreciable distance away from the adjacent edge Ill of the flange 9 and which results in stress being applied to the block and rail by the coaction of the portion l7 and element 16, the center line of stress being disposed in a plane angularly related to the under face of the flange and intersecting the jointures of the portion I! and ele ment It with the rail and block respectively and which line is indicated by the dot and dash line A-A on Figure 2 of the drawing.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my invention provides a simple and effective means for anchoring foot guard-blocks to rails and the like. It is obvious that the invention is not confined to the herein described use therefor as it may be utilized for any purpose to which it is adaptable. It is therefore to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction as illustrated and described, as the same is only illustrative of the principles of operations, which are capable of extended application in advance forms, and that the invention comprehends all construction within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention I claim:

A device of the character described, comprising, an elongated resilient member having a base section adapted to underlie the flange of a rail and terminating at one end in an upwardly extending side section fashioned on the upper end thereof with a cuneiform element adapted to penetrate a foot guard-block disposed adjacent the web and between the head and flange of said rail, said base section terminating at the opposite end in a hook element adapted to embrace the adjacent edge of said flange and appreciably overlie a portion of the upper face of said flange, said side section having a lower end of an arcuate configuration adapted to space said side section away from said block and to normally urge said element into said block when said side section is tensioned by said block whereby to anchor said block to said rail.

JOHN CHMURA. 

